1. Field of the Invention
The invention discloses a number of lighted ornament arrangements. These lighted ornaments are primarily intended for use within an LED light string system. In particular, LED lighting elements are provided within the ornaments themselves such that the ornaments appear to be illuminated. The ornament bulbs themselves may contain single color LEDs and/or multicolor LEDs. Highly configurable mechanical mounting elements are combined and coupled to one another, and mounted within the ornaments as a support structure on which illumination elements may be mountably affixed. These mechanical mounting elements may be further designed as being configurable parts so that the same parts may be manufactured en masse and used in many different illuminated ornaments of different sizes and shapes. As a consequence of the constructions provided within these ornament structures, various signaling patterns may be applied over signal control wires coupled to the lighting elements within the ornaments so as to create dynamic display patterns within the ornaments.
Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,312, Issued Jun. 30, 1998 to Pihl-Niederman et al. (hereinafter “Pihl-Neiderman et al.”) discloses a lighted holiday ornament for housing a portion of a holiday light string. (Abstract.) A hollow shell is provided in which a light string enters and exists the shell through apertures formed on the shell exterior. Since only a portion of the light string is contained within the shell, the portions of the light string not contained within the shell are available for external connection to power sources and other light strings outside the shell. The shell consists of two shell halves connected by a hinge such that access to the shell inside is provided for securing the light string. (Col. 2, 11. 21-39.) Hook mechanisms are contained on the interior surface of the shell for securing the light string portions within the shell in a fixed relationship to the shell exterior. (Col. 4, 11. 1-14.) Optionally, translucent members are secured to the shell exterior to enhance the optical characteristics of the light emanating from the shell. (Abstract.) Neither Pihl-Niederman et al. nor any other related prior art, discloses an apparatus for mounting modern LED structures for use within a lighted ornament.
Thus it is an object of this invention, and the failure of the prior art to-date, to provide for the simple construction of a lighted ornament that securely houses the LEDs used in modern day holiday decorations. It is highly desirable to provide a relatively cheap lighted holiday ornament that possesses sufficient structural strength and configurable mechanisms for housing modern LED technologies while also presenting a pleasing visual lighted display of the ornament color and shading.